wyliecoyoteuk wrote:Note that it is impossible to totally remove DRM from Windows, it is built in to the Kernel at a very low level.

You beat me to that one...

I'm falling behind on my correspondence here, so what follows is my 'nail two birds with one stone' ploy to try and cut corners.

It ain't necessary to "totally remove DRM" from XP Pro to render it harmless and helpless. True, one like myself would much prefer total eradication, but then there would be little reason to switch to Linux. You only need to erase enough of Lil Billies DRM crud (er, I mean wonderful hidden 'features') to render it null, and stop it from replicating what you deleted. Research indicates I'll be able to erase about 90%, and I'm hopeful continued Google searches will yield more results. As for Vista & Win7, decrudifying these look to be a lost cause, although the script kiddies still seem to be hopeful (I've been a dedicated lurker on their sites for quite a while).

You can't remove or disable all DRM in Windows because it is built-in at the lowest level.
Unless you run an illegal hacked version. What do you think the windows license code is? Yep, its DRM, and just the tip of the iceberg.

The stuff you are worrying about in the Linux kernel is just minor optional stuff compared to what's enforced in the fundamental NT kernel.
There is no way that anyone but Microsoft can truly know what's in there, whereas the Linux kernel is open, anyone can view what's in it, and can recompile it to suit themselves.

Anyway, DRM is not really a thing in itself, it is simply a way of using security systems.
Those systems usually have perfectly legitimate uses.

What you haven't said is why are you so determined to remove all security measures from your kernel?

The sig between the asterisks is so cool that only REALLY COOL people can even see it!

Yes, the kernel is closed...for now. That don't mean some nasty script kiddie won't crack it tomorrow, next month, etc.
Its a waiting game, and one reason why I'm a devoted lurker on the cracker sites. As for Microsoft Updates, do you really think after the firefox sabotage (linked to above) I would trust them to access my PC, anymore than Sony (after their rootkit fiasco)?